“Body punching” turkeys

[JohnSouth22]

It seems like it's almost inarguable that the TSS wave has caused an increase in birds missed in close range. While yes it is a more ethical kill and can get you those extra 10-15 yards it seems story after story is of people missing birds what is now "too close" for tss. I handload myself now and it took me roughly 3-4 months of testing 20 gauge shells to get one that opened up in tight and still held its own out to 55 yards. Before I had started making my own shells I would commonly (once a bird had gotten in closer than 20 yards) aim for the middle of the body and "body punch it" extremely effective and I can say that I had completely quit missing birds in tight when just a year or two before I missed a good many birds within 20 yards. I wasn't sure if anyone else had been doing this but if still running a really tight pattern it may be something to think about if you have recently been missing birds in tight as I was when I was running the tightest of setups.

[bigriverbum]

does that ruin the breast meat?

[JohnSouth22]

Not unless within 10 yards then you may sacrifice a breast besides that I haven't lost significant meat over it due to the extremely tight pattern

[ChesterCopperpot]

Where is your point of aim when you make this shot?


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[Southerngobbler]

Do you intentionally miss the breast or do you center punch the breast or just hit wherever?

[Sir-diealot]

 

[JohnSouth22]

 

Do you intentionally miss the breast or do you center punch the breast or just hit wherever?

Aim for the wing patch or if facing you the bottom end of the beard

[Gobbler-one]

I suppose it works, but I can't wrap my head around shooting a turkey in the body. Too many years of head shots only being pounded in my brain.

[Kylongspur88]

Just from what I've seen with body shots at close range they tend to mangle the meat.

[HookedonHooks]

If that's truly your take, and since we're going there, it would make way more sense at close range to shoot him in his thighs and take out his engines. Turkey can't fly off without first running and jumping and he ain't running if you just broke his legs. Then go step on his headwhile the poor bastard flops around.

Part of turkey hunting is missing turkeys, it's our part to do our best job at reducing that without sacrificing respect for the turkey or negligently destroying good meat. I'll keep shooting them in the head for the quickest, cleanest kill possible, and one that renders the most turkey nuggets.

[howl]

I don't. I'd rather let a bird go. In fact that's what I do. I let them walk away and shoot when they get further out. Sometimes they just plain get away. Then I get to hunt them again. Turkey hunting is much more fun when you don't feel like you have to kill one.

That's what I practice. I preach that the closer it is, the lower you aim down to body shots at ten yards or closer. Around ten is where I've seen it work with people I called for. Twenty seems a bit far, but like I typed I just don't shoot them like that. So, I don't have the experience.

[Dtrkyman]

I have killed my share of turkeys and missed 2, one was misjudged distance and the other too much brush I think?

If you can not hit a turkey in the head with a shotgun then you have issues!  I did a lot of wing shooting prior to ever trying to kill a turkey, shooting the bird is as easy as any part of the hunt gets!

I head shot one at 3 steps, cleaned the top of his head off, eyeball up completely gone! 

[JMalin]

Is this a real thread?

[wvmntnhick]

Is this a real thread?

Yes. Yes it is. And, it's also justifiable. Maybe not in the eyes of all,but...

Missing a bird in tight can happen in so many ways. Maybe the pattern isn't open. Maybe you didn't get settled on the gun. Maybe you got too into the moment that you failed to truly make sure the bread was where it needed to be. Regardless the reasoning, shooting one in the body at close range isn't the end of the world. It's a decision that the individual hunter had to make. Haven't I done it? Yes. Will I do it again? Likely. At 20 yards? Nope. They were closer than that and fear of not getting that golf ball pattern where it needed to be was what made my decision.


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[Hobbes]

TSS has not caused me to miss any birds up close.  I've noticed no difference within 15 yards. Lead was always extremely tight at that range also. I've seen no evidence that an intentional body shot is necessary.